Progressive Enhancement - Introduction

Definition and Principles #

Definition: Progressive enhancement is a web design strategy that starts with a basic, functional experience for all users and then adds more advanced features for users with better browser capabilities or devices.

Principles #

1. Content First: Ensure that the core content is accessible to everyone.
2. Basic Functionality: Make sure essential features work regardless of the user’s browser or device.
3. Enhancements: Add more advanced features and improvements that enhance the experience for those with modern browsers and devices.

Examples #

1. Google Search
   • Basic Functionality: Users can perform searches and view results with basic HTML forms and plain text.
   • Enhancements: Advanced users benefit from features like auto-complete suggestions, voice search, and personalized results based on their Google account and browsing history.
2. GitHub
   • Basic Functionality: Basic HTML structure allows users to view repositories, read documentation, and explore code.
   • Enhancements: For users with modern browsers, GitHub offers interactive features such as real-time code editing, syntax highlighting, and live previews of markdown content.
3. Twitter
   • Basic Functionality: Users can tweet, follow others, and read tweets with a minimal HTML structure.
   • Enhancements: Users with advanced browsers see additional features like embedded media previews, interactive charts, and advanced notification systems.
4. The Guardian
   • Basic Functionality: Articles and news content are accessible through simple HTML and CSS, ensuring readability on all devices.
   • Enhancements: Enhanced features like interactive data visualizations, animations, and multimedia content are available to users with modern browsers and higher-resolution screens.
5. Wikipedia
   • Basic Functionality: Users can read articles, navigate through links, and search content with basic HTML.
   • Enhancements: Users with modern browsers experience improved functionality like dynamic table of contents, interactive maps, and multimedia enhancements.
6. Stack Overflow
   • Basic Functionality: Users can ask and answer questions, view code snippets, and navigate through posts
   • Enhancements: Users with modern browsers see features like syntax highlighting, code folding, and real-time updates.
7. Shopify
   • Basic Functionality: Basic e-commerce functionality allows users to browse products, view details, and make purchases.
   • Enhancements: Users with modern browsers benefit from features like dynamic product filtering, animated transitions, and advanced checkout processes.
8. A List Apart
   • Basic Functionality: The website provides content through a straightforward HTML structure.
   • Enhancements: Users with modern browsers see enhanced features such as interactive examples, animations, and advanced layout techniques using CSS Grid or Flexbox.
9. Airbnb
   • Basic Functionality: Users can search for and book accommodations with essential HTML and CSS.
   • Enhancements: Advanced features include interactive maps, dynamic search filters, and responsive images optimized for high-resolution displays.
10. Medium
    • Basic Functionality: Users can read articles and view content with basic HTML and minimal CSS.
    • Enhancements: Features such as rich text formatting, embedded media, and interactive story elements are available for users with modern browsers.

Key Elements of Progressive Enhancement in These Examples #

• Core Content Accessibility: Fundamental content and functionality are accessible and usable with basic HTML/CSS, ensuring compatibility with older browsers or devices.
• Enhanced Features: Additional functionalities and styles are layered on top, utilizing advanced CSS, JavaScript, or APIs, providing a richer experience for users with capable browsers.
• Graceful Degradation: Even if advanced features fail or are unsupported, the core functionality remains intact, ensuring a good user experience across all environments.